TFT Chief Karen Remo is the First Filipina to Receive Asian Women Leadership Award
DUBAI: It was an international recognition, an award-giving body that has seen her passion, her hard work and the leader in her.
It was a celebration of success, global excellence and positivity.
On October 7, Karen Remo, the managing director of New Perspective Media (NPM) was conferred the Asian Women Leadership Award, making her the first Filipina to receive such an esteemed accolade.
The award recognizes outstanding professionals who have the vision, flair, acumen and professionalism to demonstrate excellent leadership and management skills in an organisation, making changes and achieving results.
“This was totally unexpected,” Karen said when asked about it. “I am very grateful for this award as it’s a confirmation that our team is doing great work. This could never have been achieved without our team of dedicated, hard-working and talented people. They do amazing things!”
Karen is talking about NPM, a well respected 360-degree marketing communications, PR, events and media company which is proud to have top UAE government organizations (Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Interior, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, and Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and blue chip companies (Emirates, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Qatar National Bank, Ayala Land, Globe and BPI) as its clients.
NPM publishes the 999 Magazine, the English monthly of the UAE Ministry of Interior and The Filipino Times, the leading Filipino weekly newspaper in the UAE, of which she is the editor in chief.
“The Asian Women Leadership Award is an intensely researched initiative,” said Dr. R. L. Bhatia, founder and chief editor of World CSR Day and World Sustainability and director of Asian Leadership Awards. “The research cell consists of post graduates in history and management with more than five years of research experience post their studies.”
It is the iconic job of the research cell to produce a shortlist of individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the conception, creation, and execution of their leadership initiatives.
The shortlist is then reviewed by a jury comprising of senior professionals from blue chip organisations across the globe.
“My biggest takeaway is something we have always known as a universal truth but something we forget as we go through our busy, hurried days. It is that we have to appreciate and recognize the good things in others,” Karen said in her trademarked smile.
“You see, I also started as a fledgling journalist and communications executive and I can tell you that the mentoring I received from my editors, clients and colleagues helped me become who I am right now,” Karen recalled.
Karen is now a seasoned public relations and marketing strategist, publisher, editor, journalist, and socio-civic advocate.
She has been the face and voice of a number of government and corporate institutions.
Starting her career in advertising in 2002, she moved to journalism in 2004 and became one of the youngest editors in the international media community. She was Middle East Bureau Chief of IHS for Fairplay and was editor for Reflex Publishing/DMG World Media, Arab Media Group, Dubai Media Incorporated, and Motivate Publishing.
A magna cum laude graduate of Mass Communication with an MBA, she also has a professional development diploma in Strategic Management and Marketing from Harvard University, and is a current Phd candidate in Management.
Karen is now part of ALA’s roster of awardees that includes Fatma Al Marri, CEO of Dubai Schools Agency, Knowledge and Human Development Authority, and Sarah Appleton, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Mini Exchange.
Of the 120 shortlisted, 25 women from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, and the Philippines were honoured in the event.
This year’s awardees include H.E. Al Sayidda Rawan Ahmed Thabit Al Said, Takaful Oman Insurance SAO; Rasha Al Danhani, PappaRoti General Trading LLC; Neeru Marya-Sharma, Marya Leadership Academy; Shawna Morneau, Neaumorinc International; Lakshmi Durai, Travel Matrix; Laura Allais–Maré, Slow Food Dubai; Dr. Mona Al Mansouri, Goodwill Ambassador & Ambassador Women’s Support; Jenny Hunt, Gateway Group of Companies; Shabnam Mohammad, Khalij Islamic Limited; and Nadia Abdul Aziz, Women in Logistics and Transport (WiLAT), UNASCO LLC.
“The world must sit up and notice such leaders who are contributing value and are futuristic in their orientation. The most uncertain thing is future and such future leaders must be recognized,” said Dr. Bhatia. He added: “If not now, when?”
Philippine Consul-General Paul Raymund P. Cortes could not agree more.
“Karen embodies the strength and determination of the Filipino to play a meaningful and productive role in global affairs, particularly in the UAE. She serves as an inspiration to all Filipinas across the world.”
“The Philippine Consulate General heartily congratulates Ms Karen Remo for being bestowed the Asian Women Leadership Award in recognition of her efforts to empower women in the global contemporary society.”
For Karen, receiving the award has served as a reminder that one should always be appreciative of people’s efforts, no matter the scale.
“Spreading positivity is a vital component of being an effective and inspiring leader,” she said. Smile at the patient taxi driver. Say ‘thank you’ to that helpful lady at the cashier. Give your struggling writer your best thumbs-up when she turns in a good story.
“They call it random acts of kindness. But as I see it, it is in no way random at all,” she said. “This becomes a beautiful cycle of generosity and goodwill that is key in achieving success, be it within the organization, the community or the society as a whole.”